FRENCH GIRL

Canada, 2024, 104 minutes, Colour.

Zach Braff, Evelyne Brochu, Luc Picard, Vanessa Hudgins, Antoine Olivier Pilon, Muriel Dutil, William Fichtner.

Directed by James A.Woods, Nicholas Wright.

This is a variation on the romantic comedy theme. It is a Canadian production and, while it opens in New York, the main action takes place in Québec.

It all begins rather familiarly, even with veteran comic actor Zach Braff as Gordon, a creative teacher in a high school. But, it soon emerges that is something of a “nerd”, clumsy, caught up in his own emotions, contacting his novelist father, William Fichtner, who has a very different approach to life. He is in a relationship with Sophie, Evelyne Brochu, who seems far more sensible than he.

And the crisis. She is invited to return home to Québec to apply for the position of chief chef in in a fashionable hotel. Will he go with her or won’t he? He does, therefore of flights, emerging from the flight in a wheelchair, mixed up with the luggage, creating a very bad impression on Sophie’s family, especially her farmer father.

There are lots of domestic scenes illustrating Gordon’s awkwardness, always putting his foot in it, revealing information that could have been kept confidential, but making friends with Sophie’s younger brother, offering to teaching English as he wants to apply to the police Academy while his father wants him to cope working on the farm.

But the main complications come with the entrance of entrepreneur, Ruby, Vanessa Hudgins, and the revelation that she was previously in a relationship with Sophie. By accident, Gordon finds out what has happened, is wary, and while helping out on the  with the father, challenges to his fastidiousness, he finds ways of confronting Sophie was eager to have the job, clashes with some of her co-workers, is put under pressure by Ruby.

One of the better comic sequences is Ruby’s insistence through reality TV show in Sophie’s family home.

The film ends with a comedy of errors, Sophie breaking with Ruby, Gordon misunderstanding and making rash judgements, finding out the truth and having to apologise and professes his love.

This kind of film is always a matter of taste. And Sophie is a Canadian girl!

1. Canadian comedy, romance? English-speaking audiences? French-speaking audiences?
2. Two settings, New York City, Brooklyn, homes, school? The Québec sequences, the landmarks, the background scenery, homes, hotels and kitchens? The musical score?
3. Audience response to Gordon, genial, family, teaching, his enthusiasm for history and literature, his costume, the classes? But his also being somewhat nerdish? His relationship with Sophie? The French-Canadian background? Cook? Their life together?
4. Sophie, the contact from Ruby, the audition for the job, the discussion with Gordon, his decision to go with her, the nervousness on the plane, the drugs, in the wheelchair, on the luggage wheel, initial impressions? The family at the airport, the response to him, so his father and criticism, the mother more kindly?
5. The home sequences, Gordon trying to do his best, and with the brother, martial arts, going to the fight, the son fighting with his father? The son wanting to be a policeman, passing English exam, Gordon offering, revealing this at the meal table? His continued putting his foot in it, especially with the father, the selecting of the lamb, the slaughter of the lamb and his participation? Going to meet Sophie?
6. The background between Sophie and Ruby, the relationship, Ruby and her assertiveness, personality, at the hotel, with the staff, the demands? Sophie, the memories, the relationship, the break? Ruby, infidelity, control? Sophie spending more and more time at the hotel?
7. Gordon, seeing the book and photos, learning the truth, upset with Sophie? Her continually being at the hotel? Their having the time for a meal together, Ruby and the Englishman, his intrusion, spoiling the evening?
8. The ring, Gordon and his father, novelist, the phone calls, the advice? The old grandmother, her behaviour, erratic, not always with it, stealing the ring? Gordon’s attempts to get back, her death, yanking it from her finger?
9. Having to sell the farm, the idea of the TV show, Ruby in control, the filming and the effect on everyonw?
10. Sophie, the job, the possibilities, the challenge, the interactions with Ruby, slapping her? Ruby kissing her? Gordon, wanting everything to be right, seeing all this?
11. The final chase, through the city, her father helping him, her brother and the police, the final explanations, declaration of love? Happy ending?